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Velanyan Imperial Church
The official state church of Velanya is the church of Sarenrae. Indeed, this is the most ascendant position for the Dawnflower any where on the known world of Ddera. The Emperor Agrym in the year 651 declared the church the Imperial Church of Velanya in gratitude for the assistance of the Sunlord’s aid in razing The Temple of Elemental Evil. At the time, this was seen as a minor promotion as the church had already been the most prevalent in the capital city of Velanya. In the interceding years, however, the Church of Sarenrae has risen to fill this role more than nominally throughout Velanya as it expands. Much of the empire’s continued success in expansion can be seen through a lens of credit to the Church of the Dawnflower. With such a presence of healing and hope on the battlements of whatever area most recently serves as a border for the empire’s expansions. The Church of Sarenrae, for its part, largely supports these expansions of the Velanyan state as a means of bringing the faith further into the out reaching wild-lands. Any place that can have state support to build the churches of The Dawnflower can have a new light shone on it, redeeming and healing it with new light. The church has been a major influence in the Velanyan Empire’s strategy for expansion in the last century. This strategy is far less war-like than in previous times. Missionaries of the Church are sent out to regions of interest bordering Velanya and are inundated with the good deeds of the priesthood; blessing crops, healing the sick, and warding off the darkness that comes with a lack of Sarenrae’s light. The goodly inhabitants of the region often welcome the influence of these priests, and when the priests seek to set up a trade economy to supply their deeds, the locals often enthusiastically agree. When this is in place, the ambassadors of the empire arrive, and with the help of the already locally entrenched priesthood, the people of the region agree to join the Velanyan Empire for everyone’s mutual benefit. Leadership of the Church of Sarenrae The Velanyan Church of Sarenrae is led by what is considered to be the highest ranking in the Church of Sarenrae on Ddera, the Sunlord. The current Sunlord is Maltias Gwent, a human male risen from the ranks of the church over the course of thirty years. His position as Sunlord is one he came to only 748, after the last Sunlord Altara Vyne, disappeared mysteriously and unscryably. Maltias is only aged 40, and it is expected that his leadership will carry the church for many years to come. His first two years have seen only slow changes to the Church and its ways from the leadership of Altara. Where she had fought Empress Keralia’s recent expansions, Maltias has sent ever more missionaries beyond the borders of Velanya. Where Altara seemed most concerned for the improvement of the citizens within Velanya’s borders, Maltias desires to bring more under the holy light of the Dawnflower.